Mary E. Alexander
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Phone: (415) 433-4440
- Fax: (415) 433-5440
- Super Lawyers Profile : Click Here.
Widely recognized as one of San Francisco’s top personal injury attorneys, Mary Alexander established her stellar reputation in the legal community after obtaining some of the largest and highest profile verdicts and settlements in the state of California over the course of her career.
She earned a national reputation for her work protecting consumer rights, and her dedication to her clients has won her numerous awards from attorneys, clients, legal publications and others.
Ms. Alexander is a Past-President of both the Association of Trial Lawyers of America and Consumer Attorneys of California, and her lobbying work for consumer rights is matched only by her success on behalf of her clients.
Results
Mary has built a notable record of success, both before juries and at the negotiation table. Some of the highlights include:
- She was a lead attorney working tirelessly to negotiate a $305 million settlement on behalf of ten California counties against several paint companies involved in the nearly 20-year lawsuit over lead paint in California. Ms. Alexander worked on this case for its entirety with the settlement ending two decades of litigation, which included a $1.15 billion bench verdict.
- A $45 million verdict for a San Mateo victim who had her neck broken and as a result became a quadriplegic who was paralyzed for life when her car was struck by a driver speeding through a red light.
- A $21.4 million jury verdict on behalf of the families of two brothers who died of cancer as a result of their exposure to the known cancer-causing chemical benzene.
- A $13.3 million verdict for a severely injured client in Hall v. Yosemite Park and Curry Company, in which faulty bicycle brakes triggered a crash resulting in quadriplegia.
- A $5.5 million settlement for a long-haul trucker who was run over by another trucker while outside the cab of his rig safely locking and inspecting his load.
- A $4 million settlement in a San Francisco Municipal Railway accident, Landsverk v. CCSFA.
- $4 million settlement in a pedestrian accident, Ruszak v. State Farm.
But it’s not just the results that have made Mary one of California’s most sought-after trial attorneys. It’s also a unique combination of capabilities and compassion that few lawyers can bring to their cases – or their clients. A scientist before she studied law, Mary leverages her technical background in every matter she takes on, and is well known for her ability to explain complicated theories to juries – and for using high-tech courtroom exhibits that help make difficult points easy to comprehend. She’s taken on cases other lawyers won’t, or can’t – such as child sex abuse cases – and assisted clients from all walks of life. Because someone who has been harmed is someone who should be helped.
Along the way, Mary, a graduate of Santa Clara University Law School, has been recognized repeatedly by her peers, and the press, for her work. Her awards and honors include:
- Being named a Top 100 Attorney in California by the Daily Journal in 2018 and 2019
- Named one of the San Francisco Bay Area’s “Top 10 Trial Attorneys” by the San Francisco Chronicle
- Named a Northern California Super Lawyer every year since in 2006
- Recognized as one of the 2019 Top Women Lawyers in California and a 2019 Top 30 Plaintiff Attorney in California by the Daily Journal
- Past editor-in-chief of Forum, a publication of the Consumer Attorneys of California
Areas of Practice
- Personal Injury — Plaintiff
Bar Admissions
- California, 1982
- U.S. District Court District of Arizona, 1986
- U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1982
Published Works
- Past Editor-in-Chief of Forum, Consumer Attorneys of California Publication
Representative Cases
- For an extensive list of Mary’s cases, please click here
Honors and Awards
- 2023: Best Lawyers 2023
- 2022: Daily Journal Top 35 Plaintiff Attorney in California
- 2022: Daily Journal, Top 100 Attorneys in California
- 2022: Daily Journal Top Women Lawyers in California
- 2022: National ABOTA American Civil Trial Roundtable Co-Facilitator
- 2021: Lawdragon Hall of Fame
- 2021: Daily Journal Top 35 Plaintiff Attorney in California
- 2021: Daily Journal Top Women Lawyers in California
- 2021: Daily Journal CLAY Award
- 2020: CAOC’s Presidential Award of Merit
- 2020: Daily Journal, Top 100 Attorneys in California
- 2020: Daily Journal, Top Women Lawyers in California
- 2020: Daily Journal, Top 30 Plaintiff Attorney in California
- 2020: Lawdragon, 500 Leading Lawyers in America
- 2020: Global 100, Civil Litigation Lawyer of the Year (Civil, Boutique, Personal Injury)
- 2019: CAOC’s Consumer Attorney of the Year
- 2019: National Law Journal’s Plaintiff Trailblazer Award
- 2018-2019: Top Attorneys of North America, Who’s Who Directory
- 2018: Best Lawyers in America
- 2018: Top 10 Attorney Award, National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys
- 2018: Lawdragon, 500 Leading Lawyers in America
- 2018: Top 25 National Women’s Award, National Trial Lawyers
- 2018 (since 2006): Super Lawyers in Northern California
- 2018: Top 25 National Women Trial Lawyers, The National Trial Lawyers
- 2018: Top 100 Attorneys, Lifetime Achievement Northern California
- 2017-2018: 10 Best Attorneys, American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys
- 2017: Best Law Firm, Best Law Firms of America
- 2016-2018: Best Lawyers, Northern California
- 2015: Daily Journal, Top 25 Plaintiff Lawyers – California
- 2014: “The Heavyweights” Award by The 500 Leading Lawyers in America
- 2014: Trial Lawyer of the Year, Public Justice
- 2014: Trial Lawyer of the Year Award, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association (for
- Lead Paint Verdict)
- 2013: Top Rated Lawyers, Top Lawyers of San Francisco Recognized for Excellence &
- Achievement by the Legal Community
- 2012-2013: Best of 2013, The Recorder, The Best Legal Services and Solutions that
- Readers Have Rated Highly Across Multiple Categories
- 2012: “The Influencers” Award, The 500 Leading Lawyers in America
- 2012: Top 50 Women Attorneys in Northern California, San Francisco Magazine
- 2012: Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame, California State Bar Litigation Section
- 2010: The Recorder, Million-Dollar Settlements
- 2009: Trial Lawyer of the Year, CAOC Women's Caucus
- 2005: Presidential Award of Merit, CAOC
- 2004: CAOC, Presidential Award of Merit
- 2003: Doctor of Law Degree, Santa Clara School of Law, upon giving the
- Commencement speech at the graduation of the Class of 2003
- 2001: Trial Lawyer of the Year by Themis
- 1996: Marie Lambert Award, AAJ
Professional Associations and Memberships
- 2016: ABOTA Foundation Senior Life Fellow
- 2015: Supreme Court of the United States of America, Admitted
- 2015: ABA Standing Committee on Medical Professional Liability, Member
- 2010: AAJ President, AAJ Endowment
- 2009: AAJ Endowment, Treasurer
- 2008: American Association for Justice, Secretary, AAJ Endowment
- 2007: American Association for Justice, Secretary, AAJ Endowment
- 2005-2006: American Board of Trial Advocates, Member, National Board
- 2005: Roscoe Pound Institute, President
- 2004-2007: Bar Association of San Francisco, Member of Board of Directors
- 2004-2007: Bar Association of San Francisco, Board Member
- 2004-Present: National Center for State Courts, Attorney Board Member
- 2003: American Association for Justice, President
- 2002-Present: AAJ Leaders’ Forum, Member
- 2002: American Association for Justice, President Elect
- 2001: American Association for Justice, Vice President
- 2000: American Association for Justice, Secretary
- 2000: Foundation of the American Board of Trial Advocates Life Fellow
- 1999: American Association for Justice, Treasurer
- 1998: American Association for Justice, Parliamentarian
- 1998-2017: American Association for Justice, Member, Board of AAJ Endowment
- 1997-Present: American Board of Trial Advocates, Member
- 1996-1997: American Association for Justice, Chair, State Delegates
- 1996-1997: American Association for Justice, Chair, Council of Presidents
- 1996: Consumer Attorneys of California, President
- 1995-1996: American Association for Justice, Chair, PAC Task Force
- 1995-1999: Public Justice, Member, Board of Governors
- 1995-Present: Western Trial Lawyers Association, Member, Board of Governors
- 1995: Consumer Attorneys of California, President-Elect
- 1994-1995: American Association for Justice, Chair, Membership Committee
- 1994: Consumer Attorneys of California, Vice President
- 1993: Consumer Attorneys of California, Parliamentarian
- 1988-1992: Consumer Attorneys of California, Member, Board of Governors
- 1984-1999: San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, Board Member
- 1984-Present: Bar Association of San Francisco, Member
- 1982-Present: California Women Lawyers, Member, 1982 – Present
- 1982-Present: Public Justice, Member
- 1982-Present: American Bar Association, Member
- Association of Plaintiff Interstate Trucking Lawyers of America, Member
- College of Master Advocates and Barristers, Member
- College of Master Advocates and Barristers, Senior Counsel
- National Crimes Victims Association, President
- Consumers Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, Member
- San Mateo County Trial Lawyers Association, Member
- Santa Clara Trial Lawyers Association, Member
- Santa Clara University School of Law, Member, Board of Visitors
